The darkness of “The First Demon Obstruction Research Institute” cleared, and “Lord Flame God’s Sacred Stone” lit up one after another.
Master and the Director cried out at Teeda’s unplanned actions.
“Teeda…!?”
“Huh!?”
Amidst it all, only I was able to calmly grasp the situation. It was thanks to being mentally prepared that he might do something like this. The one who steals the logic of fire gave voice to my feelings.
“As expected…! That traitor, at the last minute again…! Guh, the flame in my body…!”
She tried to ignite her anger into a raging flame, but her body flickered and withered as if blown by the wind.
The volume of flame that had replaced her limbs decreased. Then, the flames in her lower body, which had been supporting her on her knees, were extinguished, and her upper body collapsed to the ground. Sensing the abnormality in her own body, The one who steals the logic of fire shouted.
“Please escape immediately! We are being watched right now! Through my ‘Eye,’ the lord of Fanian has grasped the situation here! No, this speed… he was watching from the beginning!?”
Even as she lost the flames in her body, she analyzed the situation and urged a swift escape. However, Master, who was still holding The one who steals the logic of fire’s hand, shouted back, trying to pull her up.
“If you’re escaping, you’re coming with us!”
“That’s not possible! If I go with you now, we’ll never be able to shake him off! The lord has taken all of my power! If he wanted to, he could ignore my will and burn you with the flame in my body! I am his greatest weapon!”
Saying that, The one who steals the logic of fire pushed Master’s hand away with all her might, but Master did not back down.
“It’s alright! I and Tiara will deal with that lord! Don’t worry!”
“That man kept repeating experiments just to fight the ‘Apostle’ who will come someday…! You absolutely cannot defeat him. Please, leave me, this burden, behind and prioritize your escape… please…”
The one who steals the logic of fire’s flames dwindled further, and her voice grew thinner and smaller. It seemed that her body’s functions were directly linked to her flames. Closing her eyes, she left her final words.
“I wa-s happy… That’s why, please go on ahead. It’s alright, I won’t die… I’m used to how I’m treated here… Your words, ‘I came to help’—they really made me ha-ppy… so hurry, and escape…”
Before she could finish, The one who steals the logic of fire lost consciousness. On the ground littered with discarded bandages and chains, in the sparse flames, a severed head lay rolling.
Faced with this sight, Master froze. Although he had received her heartfelt plea to “escape,” his morals and values would not allow him to abandon the girl who had been reduced to just a head.
In place of Master, who couldn’t move a single step, I strained my ears. From beyond the door we had entered, sounds began to be heard.
Likely, it was the guards. If this continued, we would be driven into a corner.
Master seemed to have noticed this too, and unable to bear the worsening situation, he glared into the nearby darkness and called out.
“Kuu…! Teeda!!”
I thought it was useless to call out to him, but for some reason, an answer came back from the darkness.
“…Forgive me for deceiving you, Kanami.”
Frankly, I was surprised. Teeda, who had been hiding, couldn’t quite bring himself to be ruthless and proceeded to explain the situation.
“Originally, the lord of Fanian was waiting for my arrival, using The one who steals the logic of fire as bait. The reason is simple: to obtain ‘The one who steals the logic of darkness,’ the source of the second miracle.”
That I understood.
However, I didn’t understand why Teeda betrayed us at this timing. The plan was going smoothly. If he wanted to help The one who steals the logic of fire, this was fine. If he wanted to use her as bait, it would be more effective during her escape. If his goal was to sell us out, the location and timing of his betrayal were strange. Teeda’s true objective remained completely invisible.
Master seemed to have the same question, and he directly confronted the darkness.
“Teeda, why did you do this…?”
No, I thought, he wouldn’t answer even if I asked, but my expectations were once again betrayed, and a serious reply echoed from the darkness.
“Kanami, I have seen your choice just now… But it is not enough yet. You are not yet worthy of my trust. I have not yet seen everything that lies deep within your heart. Therefore, I will test you now. I will see if you can truly put your words into action, not just speak them, even if you were to fall into the same situation as I once did. When you learn the source of this town’s evil, will you still be able to speak the same words…?”
Teeda faltered mid-sentence. Despite being in such an overwhelmingly superior position, his voice suddenly changed to a weak, almost crying tone.
“No, that’s not right. In the end, I’m just scared…”
His change in demeanor and words pushed my confusion to its maximum. Right now, this guy was undoubtedly hesitating mid-sentence, giving up on his own, and breaking down. He was too unstable; I couldn’t keep up with his thoughts. It was already difficult enough with just Master alone… This was like being told to read two books in different languages simultaneously.
The girl with the severed head, along with the “Thieves of Principles,” were far too weak and fragile in spirit. It was only now that I realized this made them extremely incompatible with my skill for reading others’ minds.
“Hey, Kanami. I’m begging you. Please, save me too, not just her… I can’t believe in my own life anymore… I just feel like, at the very last moment, I’ll be betrayed by someone again… I’m so scared, I can’t bear it. If I don’t want to be betrayed, I have to betray them first… Such thoughts have ingrained themselves in my mind and won’t leave…! It’s been like this ever since I died five years ago…!!”
Teeda shamelessly, and audaciously, pleaded to be saved along with the other. His voice was incredibly weak, unimaginable considering the threat he had posed just moments before.
At last, he muttered. “Kanami, show me your answer.”
In other words, there was truly no specific reason for him to have betrayed us just now. He had left us stranded in the heart of enemy territory with the vague reason of fearing betrayal before it happened. My face twisted at this unreasonable page, devoid of any prologue or foreshadowing, much like my own life.
However, unlike me, my Master’s face was serene. As if understanding something only fellow weaklings could comprehend, he called out Teeda’s name with empathy.
“Teeda…”
There was no hint of condemnation. My Master was on the verge of condoning the betrayal. This was Master’s worst trait—his excessive kindness—revealed at its most extreme.
The situation was also at its worst. In the back of my mind, I had planned to use Teeda as a decoy, knock Master unconscious, and escape straight back to Fuziaze if need be. But instead, we had become the decoys, and our opponent was—
A loud bang echoed. The only entrance to the underground room was flung open.
Emerging from the doorway was a giant of a man, leading a horde of Fanian soldiers. His entire face was covered in old scars, and his eyes were thin as lines. His head was cleanly shaved, giving him a saintly aura. However, his attire denied his profession. He wore ostentatious noble attire for the upper class, adorned with numerous lavish necklaces, bracelets, and rings, walking with the clinking sound of ore.
Everything about his demeanor exuded immense confidence. That’s why I knew, even before he spoke, that the lord of Fania had appeared in person.
“I have come to escort you, Princess of Fuziaze, and you, the proxy of the ‘Apostle.’ I am Romis, the head of the Neisha Family that governs Fania. Please remember this name, Romis Neisha, from now on.”
Lord Romis greeted us, the envoys from Fuziaze, with a smile.
Before his presence, my Master and I gasped. Surrounding Romis, an overwhelmingly dense “Demonic Poison” swirled. It was a bizarre sight. Romis himself didn’t possess any special power. Yet, the “Demonic Poison” was completely under his control. It merely swayed in sync with his movements, harming him not at all. The density and amount of “Demonic Poison” far surpassed even my Master’s uncontrolled state that evening. Anyone would be awestruck by Romis’s presence. If he claimed to be a prophet of God, ordinary people would readily agree, convinced by his sheer aura.
We were wary of the “Demonic Poison” Romis exuded, unable to move a single step. Meanwhile, two of the soldiers he brought moved, taking the Director, who was trembling nearby, by the hand. Neither we nor the Director could resist being moved to the far corner of the room.
After watching them move, Romis began to speak.
“Heh heh. Well now, I was racking my brain all this time preparing for a banquet, wondering how I would escort the two of you… but it seems my troubles have been saved. Heh heh, ha ha ha. Such thoughtless guests! I can’t stop laughing. Please forgive me.”
His words were quite rude. As I had suspected, the lord of this land was our enemy.
I maintained my composure, responding with a smile. It was one of Hidaki Sister’s teachings to never stop smiling, especially when things were truly dire.
“Heh heh. Good evening, head of the Neisha Family. If you know about the ‘Apostle,’ then we can get straight to the point. To dispel the dark clouds over this world, the cooperation of the ‘Thief of Principles’—this girl here—is necessary. May we take her to Fuziaze Castle?”
I pointed to the girl, who was still a severed head nearby, and boldly stated our request.
“Take her? I refuse. Even if it is your homeland Fuziaze, I cannot allow my Fanian territory’s possessions to be taken without permission.”
“Hmm. Then, at least, can you stop treating her like an object?”
I wished he would agree, even if it was a lie. Otherwise, my Master, who was seething with anger nearby, would surely cause trouble. It was clear he had become more aggressive after the persuasion from the “Thief of Principles” earlier. However, I desperately wanted to avoid a fight. This underground chamber we were in was enemy territory, and we had infiltrated it without preparing for combat. He must have understood that advantage perfectly. He replied with great confidence.
“Yes. I understand what you mean, Your Highness. However, please do not misunderstand. I am not doing this cruel act willingly. As the lord, I made a difficult decision, choosing the peace of my people over one individual. Therefore, I must remain cold and treat her as an object. It is my duty to maximize her benefits, so as not to waste her noble sacrifice… Can you understand?”
This is undeniably a lie.
That’s how I judged it.
However, my Master believed those fabricated words and presented a compromise.
“Lord! Please listen to my story! As a substitute for taking her away, I have a good treatment method! With our power, you won’t have to worry about treating the illness of ‘Demonic Poison’! We call this ‘Level Up’! It’s not perfect yet, but it’s a much more effective treatment than bloodletting!”
“Ah, that light is called ‘Level Up’…? Heh, heh, heh. Ah, pardon me. I found the name to be rather peculiar.”
Lomis chuckled, covering his mouth mid-conversation. He then sighed deeply and shook his head at Master’s proposal.
“‘Level Up’… That was truly an unnecessary act.”
“Unnecessary act…? That is treatment! By using ‘Curse Technique’ for ‘Demonic Poison’—no, by making a deal with this world, it’s a method to convert poison into the power to live—we can safely suppress the symptoms without any drawbacks! I know it sounds strange to make a deal with the world, but it really—”
“I understand everything. Therefore, no further explanation is necessary.”
She cut him off abruptly.
Perhaps she hadn’t expected that response, and Master was stunned.
“Before you Fuziaze, our Fanian had already noticed the so-called ‘deal with the world.’ We already know that if utilized properly, it can cure the illness from its root.”
“You knew…? Then why…!? Why haven’t you used it for treatment!?”
“Certainly, with that ‘Level Up’ you mentioned, treatment is possible. However, at the same time, an excessive number of beings with unfitting power will be born within the territory. That is far too dangerous. What Fanian needs now is not the treatment of illness but to properly govern all the citizens. For that, the method your proxy proposed is inappropriate. As a ruler, I absolutely cannot permit the production and harboring of uselessly energetic bombs.”
The logic was sound.
As for uselessly energetic bombs, I am an example.
Lomis continued confidently.
“Do you understand? More than anyone, I wish for the happiness of my people. However, that dream cannot be achieved with mere idealism. For the governance of a territory, all citizens must believe in one thing and proceed as one towards one dream, unified. That is, for example, the Artofel religion. I will personally teach you its magnificence from now on. If you understand everything, I believe you will surely become my ally…”
In front of the garrulous Lomis, Master was completely lost for words to retort.
If this continued, we would be easily defeated by the Lord’s ‘deception.’ To avoid that path of complete defeat, I hastily interrupted the discussion.
“You don’t need to listen, Master! No matter what he says, seeing that should be enough, right!? This guy is a bundle of self-interest. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be hoarding all this power for himself! He knew ‘Demonic Poison’ could turn into power, so he monopolized it all and brought it under his control. He’s definitely leaving the town’s illness untreated to continue exploiting the weak…!”
We could see the dense ‘Demonic Poison’ emanating from the man before us.
Considering this information and what we already knew, it was clear that he had taken something from the townspeople without curing their illness.
When confronted with just this fact, Master’s face grew a little sad, and he struggled to find a retort.
“Ms. Neisha, your way of speaking and gestures… you remind me so much of my parents who abandoned me…”
Speaking of Master’s parents, I had also heard about them from Hidaki Sister. It seemed they were villains comparable to this Lord, but it struck me as odd that Master spoke of them so fondly, unlike when he spoke of Hidaki Sister.
Master’s current state of mind was complicated, and it seemed difficult for an outsider to discern.
Lomis must have sensed this too, as he gave up on convincing Master and shifted his target to me.
“Princess Tiara. I implore you, look at this. This is truly a magnificent power. It’s like ‘Magic’ from a fairy tale. It doesn’t just burn enemies; it can be applied to all sorts of things, bringing dream-like effects to us.”
Lomis manipulated his own ‘Demonic Poison,’ and a flame erupted in the empty air.
The expanding flames danced around him like little birds, a testament to the fairy tale-like word ‘Magic.’
It was quite a display that I found appealing. I could tell that his ‘observational power’ had reached a level worthy of being called a skill.
“And the result of that application is this Artofel religion? You certainly have a taste that matches mine, Lord.”
I felt a closeness in sensibility with Lomis.
Sensing a significant opening there, I decided to play along with his proposal.
Beside me, Master seemed about to complain, “You stopped me from talking, but it’s okay for Tiara?” but that was to be expected.
The level of my unspoken communication and that of Master were on different planes.
To increase the probability of escaping, I first needed to ascertain his ultimate objective.
“Indeed? The power of a god has truly become visible. ‘Miracles’ have become something that can be touched. …If not now, then when? In fact, the propagation speed of the Artofel religion is incomparable to what it was before. It’s on a scale that could engulf the continent in just one generation.”
Lomis walked with the little bird of flame and turned his gaze towards “The one who steals the logic of fire,” who was near us.
Then, to persuade me, he fully utilized his “observational skills” and delivered a speech tailored to my liking.
“And yet! At this crucial moment, Lord Flame God of the Althefel Church was too pathetic! Swayed by emotions, he would stop at every turn and cry out! Despite gaining immense power, he couldn’t utilize it at all! He was weak, foolish—just a child! So, what’s wrong with me, an adult, working as the prophet in her stead!?”
“So you stole all of her power? It just looks like you’re tormenting a child to feast on the spoils. I think.”
“I only stole the power of ignition. And it is through my ceaseless effort that I have honed this small amount of power to this extent. That faith can substitute for the power of flame, that flame can dispel ‘Demonic Poison,’ and that flame can be imbued into ore—all of these were discovered by me. It is only natural that I receive compensation for my portion of the work, is it not?”
Lomis spoke as if he had done all the work himself, but this too was likely a lie. He was probably just taking credit for the discoveries of his excellent subordinates working at the city’s research institute.
However, there was no doubt that this was the work of a lord, and a splendid achievement at that. As a member of the Fuziaze royalty, I could understand. He was a little cruel, but I resonated with the fact that he was also realistic.
With that in mind, Lomis was likely speaking. He possessed “observational skills” that could lead to the most effective persuasion for me.
“I intend to do even better work. We have already made sufficient arrangements to acquire not only the flame god but also the dark god. In a little while, Fanian will be able to extend his reach to other domains.”
“Oh, that’s impressive. If one can control not only light but also darkness, faith will be tenfold, not just double. It’s not an impossible story.”
“On top of that, fortunately, before obtaining the dark god, the light god came to me… Hah, heh heh! Ah, I truly cannot thank the ‘Apostles’ enough!”
Lomis, unable to contain his laughter mid-sentence, shook his shoulders. He seemed very excited that his master had fallen into the trap he had set. I admonished him with a slightly cold gaze.
“Still, you talk quite a lot. You’re a bit different from the lord I imagined.”
“…Indeed. I find it a bit strange myself. Am I perhaps elated? Have I found someone like myself?”
This was a light probe from me, but the reaction I received was different from what I had expected.
At this moment, Lomis seemed genuinely surprised. However, it didn’t seem like a significant issue, and he re-formed his smile, reaching out to me.
“Yes, you are like myself. That is precisely why I invite you. My goal is ‘to rule over all gods and to rule over this entire continent.’ For that, I need a capable accomplice with a sharp intellect and noble blood like yours. Everything I have said thus far is out of sincerity towards you.”
This was not a lie. I knew he was making a genuine offer. In other words, Lomis saw through my true nature without being swayed by my youthful appearance.
I recognized his keen insight… but honestly, it was troublesome. My master, upon hearing the word “like myself,” looked at me with a hint of anxiety. This was a critical situation.
“So, you want to placate me, a mere branch of royalty, as a stepping stone to overthrow Fuziaze? Controlling ‘The one who steals the logic of fire’ and ‘Thief of the Principles of Light’ for a rebellion, huh? That’s ambitious.”
“I have heard about your treatment in the castle. I believe it’s not a bad future plan, is it?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t. I have a prior engagement. I am Master’s disciple. From now on, I will always follow Master. No matter what happens, no matter what. I swore that. My apologies.”
“…That’s surprising. Clearly, Princess, you are like myself. I thought you were merely manipulating that easily swayed man from behind the scenes.”
Stop it. In front of Master, I’m supposed to be an innocent, cute princess.
Despite being quite flustered, I continued to insist to Lomis, with a thinly veiled smile, that my opinion would not change.
Finally, whether he understood, he gave a second sigh and abandoned the negotiation.
“Hoo… I wanted to settle this with words, but it can’t be helped… In that case, I will proceed as originally planned. I have no choice but to capture that foolish boy standing there and treat him the same way as Lord Flame God.”
Then, with a ghastly smile, he addressed “The one who steals the logic of fire,” who was lying on the floor.
“You’re lucky, Lord Flame God… You’ll have friends. The light god too, will be with you here in this underground chamber. Together, we will torment you until death, bind you, torment you until you suffer, and we will manage you. Heh, unlike your time, it will be helpful that we can easily control his emotions by using the princess, your so-called lover, who is there.”
Cruel words, clearly indicating a definitive break, spilled out.
And then, Lomis took out a dark red sphere from his pocket. I immediately recognized it as ore of the same quality as “Lord Flame God’s Sacred Stone.” However, it was clearly different from the mass-produced items I had seen before. The stone shone transparently, was free of any impurities, and its depth of color was extraordinary.
To my surprise, the raw heart itself had entered the stone.
When I understood that it belonged to the girl, ‘The One Who Steals the Logic of Fire,’ who had collapsed, and that it was contained within the ‘Lord Flame God’s Heart’ set in the center of ‘The First Demon Obstruction Research Institute’—the small fire birds dancing in the room split into many, their beaks sharpening like arrowheads, and flew towards me.
“Watch out, Master—!!”
“—!”
Master and I dodged to the left and right, avoiding the attacking fire birds.
At the same time, I suggested a planned retreat to Master. The information we could extract from the lord was likely at its limit.
“Master! The plan is off, let’s escape this time! I’ll hold them off, so you go ahead!!”
To my words, Romis, who finally dropped all pretense, sneered.
“Hah. This Fanian is a city specialized in capturing monsters like you. Do you think you can escape?”
He began walking towards us, intending to carry out the cruel words he had spoken.
The surrounding soldiers followed, tightening the encirclement.
Amidst it all, Master drew the sword at his waist, his anger evident.
“Tiara, I’m not running…! I’ll stop this man, even if I have to fight! At the very least, I’ll return the heart he’s holding now to her!!”
“M-Master!? His goal is to capture you alive! Were you even listening!?”
“That’s why I’m listening—!!”
Master, knowing he was the enemy’s primary target, was solely focused on rescuing ‘The One Who Steals the Logic of Fire.’
My heart fluttered at his earnest profile, yet my brow furrowed.
Honestly, the odds of winning the fight would be higher without Master. With the enemy’s main target, Master, safely out of the way, I could freely unleash my power in the frontline. However, no matter how I tried to persuade him, Master would never choose the option of “escaping alone first.”
The reason was simple.
During yesterday’s Level Up rampage, I had already understood.
That I was not the “Ideal Aikawa Kanami.”
Judging a short persuasion impossible, I reluctantly drew the blade at my waist, just like Master.
Seeing this, Romis stopped and let out a deep, booming laugh.
“Ku, kuku, kuhahaha—! It must be tough babysitting, Princess of Fuziaze! This makes it very convenient for me, as I don’t need to rush! Attack them slowly, it seems they have no intention of running!”
Hearing his instruction, the soldiers first attacked Master and me, two by two.
The soldiers, clad in weapons and armor likely crafted in the city, raised their unsheathed swords.
Facing weapons that evoked death and blood, I maintained my composure. I told myself, “I am young, and my experience in rough combat is limited. However, thanks to the near-death experience from my childhood, my heart is as calm as a still body of water,” and I rushed forward.
Seeing me carelessly approach their weapons, the soldiers were clearly flustered.
No matter how loyal they were to their superior’s orders, deep down they must have held the thought, “If it’s a woman or a child, let’s try to capture them without causing too much injury.”
I used this kindness against them, creating a momentary paralysis in the enemy.
Then, I unleashed my Martial Arts.
Using the short sword in my hand as a feint, I guided the gaze of the soldier who took the lead, then leaped and coiled my leg like a whip.
First, I took out the careless soldier by kicking the tip of his jaw, knocking him unconscious.
Without a moment’s pause, I attacked the other.
While moving my sword exaggeratedly, I swept his legs, bringing him down.
A child’s kick wouldn’t even make them flinch. However, my leg strength, enhanced by Level Up, was powerful enough to make the soldier, with his full weight, spin in mid-air.
I grabbed the head of the soldier who had come within reach with my free hand and slammed him into the ground.
“—Hoo.”
Having finished these movements in a single breath, I then warily looked at Romis.
Romis, meeting my gaze, deepened his smile and spoke to me.
“This is the blessing of the Light God’s Level Up… Indeed, it is a threat. However, it is ultimately the power of a single person. I’m sorry, but our numbers are different? Conflict is a battle of attrition between numbers. It’s about how many people you can gather beforehand. I’ll teach you about that now.”
Romis generated a torrent of flames from the heart in his hand and had them attack the soldiers nearby.
As suspected, that heart was undoubtedly the key to stealing the power of ‘The One Who Steals the Logic of Fire.’ I couldn’t grasp the mechanism, but from the malevolently yet orderly pulsing flames, I could discern the culmination of Fanian’s years of research.
The soldiers did not evade the lord’s flames; they embraced them.
Then, the weapons and armor, created by the city’s ‘Lord Flame God’s Sacred Stone,’ lit up like torches. They never scorched the wearer’s skin, instead leaping to burn only the enemy.
Two soldiers, newly enveloped in flames, charged at me.
“Kukuku. Come, let’s Level Up too. And this time with the blessings of the Lord Flame God?”
Just as Romis said, their movements were completely different from the previous soldiers.
Even with just a few steps, their agility—their speed—had drastically increased.
Understanding that this was another form of Level Up, one that followed a different path than Master’s, I took a wary stance.
